Searchable texture index

ABSTRACT

Electronic content that has a tactile dimension when presented on a tactile-enabled computing device may be referred to as tactile-enabled content. A tactile-enabled device is a device that is capable of presenting tactile-enabled content in a manner that permits a user to experience tactile quality of electronic content. In one example embodiment, a system is provided for generating content that has a tactile dimension when presented on a tactile-enabled device.

PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to Ser. No.16/444,218 filed on Jun. 18, 2019, entitled, “Searchable Texture Index’,which is a continuation of, and claims priority to U.S. Pat. No.10,402,885, filed on May 31, 2017, entitled, “Searchable Texture Index’,which is a continuation of, and claims priority to U.S. Pat. No.9,672,553, filed on Apr. 15, 2013, entitled, “Searchable Texture Index”,the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the technical fields of software and/orhardware technology and, in one example embodiment, to system and methodfor generating and using a searchable texture index.

BACKGROUND

An on-line trading platform allows users to search for items that may beof interest to them, using a web browser application. A user may find anitem listed by an on-line trading application by entering keywords intothe search box provided on an associated web page or by browsing throughthe list of categories on the home page of an on-line tradingapplication. After a list of search results is returned, a user mayclick on a search result from the list to view the details of theassociated item. The details may include a picture of the item, as wellas the description that provides further details about the item.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of exampleand not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in whichlike reference numbers indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a network environment withinwhich example method and system for generating content that has atactile dimension may be implemented;

FIG. 2 is block diagram of a system for generating content that has atactile dimension, in accordance with one example embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for generating content that has atactile dimension, in accordance with an example embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of an example machine in theform of a computer system within which a set of instructions, forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, may be executed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Method and system for generating and using a searchable texture indexare described. In the following description, for purposes ofexplanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of an embodiment of the present invention. Itwill be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the presentinvention may be practiced without these specific details.

As used herein, the term “or” may be construed in either an inclusive orexclusive sense. Similarly, the term “exemplary” is merely to mean anexample of something or an exemplar and not necessarily a preferred orideal means of accomplishing a goal. Additionally, although variousexemplary embodiments discussed below may utilize Java-based servers andrelated environments, the embodiments are given merely for clarity indisclosure. Thus, any type of server environment, including varioussystem architectures, may employ various embodiments of theapplication-centric resources system and method described herein and isconsidered as being within a scope of the present invention.

As mentioned above, a user may search for items listed by an on-linetrading application and examine each search result by expanding thesearch result list entry and viewing the details about the item, wherethe details may include a picture and a description of the item. In oneexample embodiment, an on-line trading application may include aso-called texture index and a system for generating content that has atactile dimension when presented on a tactile-enabled device. Contentthat has a tactile dimension when presented on a tactile-enabled devicemay be referred to as tactile-enabled content. A tactile-enabled deviceis a device that is capable of presenting tactile-enabled content in amanner that permits a user to experience tactile quality of the content.In one example embodiment, a mobile device, such as a mobile phone or atablet may be a tactile enabled device. There are multiple ways toenable tactile functions on portable devices such as smartphones. Oneexample approach is to use vibratory feedback to mimic tactilefunctions. Another approach is to render a transparent and dynamictactile surface that may be positioned on top of smartphone touchscreens. When a user presses a button, the tactile functions in thesurface get activated and the surface deforms to mimic tactilefunctions.

A texture index may include entries that can be used by atactile-enabled device to present texture quality to a user in a mannerthat provides tactile experience. An entry in a texture index may begenerated based on a textual description of a material (such as, e.g.,“silk” or “leather”) or, e.g., based on information obtained by atexture-recognition electronic device. A texture-recognition electronicdevice may be, e.g., a camera equipped with sensors that can, inaddition to capturing an image or a video of an object, producemeasurements of wrinkles, roughness, smoothness, sheen, shine etc. Inone example embodiment, given an input image, an image recognitionsoftware program processes the image and extracts texture specificattributes such as material, roughness etc. This may be done purelyusing the pixel level data from the image using an annotated set ofimages with their texture attributes. Various image level textureattributes, such as textons, etc., can be used to conform the image toattribute mapping, using machine learning techniques.

In one example embodiment, a system for generating content that has atactile dimension when presented on a tactile-enabled device may be usedto create tactile-enabled content and/or to enhance existing contentwith a tactile dimension. For example, a listing of an item provided byan on-line trading platform may include a description or an attributethat is indicative of texture, such as “denim” or “leather.” When suchattribute or description is determined to be present in a listing, thesystem for generating content that has a tactile dimension may search atexture index based on the attribute that is indicative of texture, and,if the texture index contains an entry that corresponds to thatattribute or description, include texture data from the determined entryinto the listing. The resulting version of the listing is enhanced withtexture information and can be suitable for being presented on atactile-enabled device in a manner that provides a user with tactileexperience.

Content that includes texture information and that is suitable forpresentation on a tactile-enabled device in a manner that provides auser with a tactile experience may be referred to as a tactile-enabledcontent. It will be noted, that for the purposes of this description,the term content refers, generally, to electronic content.Tactile-enabled content may be a provided in the context of any servicethat includes representation of an object that has texture.

A system for generating content that has a tactile dimension whenpresented on a tactile-enabled device may be referred to as a tactileinformation system. In some embodiments, a tactile information systemmay be used to generate a searchable texture index and also to generatetactile-enabled content. In addition, a tactile information system maybe used to create a searchable texture index and to facilitate searchingfor those listings provided by an on-line trading platform that describeitems as having certain respective texture-related attributes. Forexample, when a user enters search terms related to texture, a searchengine may be configured to use a texture index to generate searchresults of listings that have the texture features matching the searchterms entered by the user. In one example embodiment, given a databaseof images, a software program is first used to extract textureattributes using image recognition techniques. Each database image maybe indexed with such extracted attributes. When a particular user entersa search term containing a texture attribute, this particular index islooked up and all the images containing the queried attribute arereturned as matches. This process may be performed using standardinformation retrieval techniques used in text-based searches. Method andsystem for generating content that has a tactile dimension whenpresented on a tactile-enabled device may be implemented in the contextof a network environment 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the network environment 100 may include atactile-enabled device 120 and a server system 140. The tactile-enableddevice is shown to be in communication with the server system 140 via acommunications network 130. The communications network 130 may be apublic network (e.g., the Internet, a mobile communication network, orany other network capable of communicating digital data). The serversystem 140, in one example embodiment, may host a tactile informationsystem 144 that could be used to generate a texture index 152 and togenerate tactile-enabled electronic content, as described above.Tactile-enabled content may be accessed on a tactile-enabled displayarea 122 of the tactile-enabled device 120. As mentioned above, when atactile-enabled content item is displayed by the tactile enabled device120, a user is provided with tactile experience with respect to thedisplayed content. For example, when a tactile-enabled content item thatrepresents a denim jacket is displayed on the tactile-enabled displayarea 122 of the tactile-enabled device 120, the user may touch thetactile-enabled display area 122 and experience a sensation as if he istouching denim fabric.

The tactile information system 144 may be configured to generate thetexture index 152 based on information collected by so-called texturerecognition devices, such as, e.g., a texture-recognition device 112. Asmentioned above, the texture index 152 may include entries generatedbased on a textual description of a material (such as, e.g., “silk” or“leather”) or, e.g., based on information obtained by atexture-recognition electronic device. The texture-recognitionelectronic device 112 may be, e.g., a camera equipped with sensors thatcan, in addition to capturing of an image or a video of an object,produce measurements of wrinkles, roughness, smoothness, sheen, shineetc. These measurements may be then utilized by the tactile informationsystem 144 to create entries in the texture index 152.

The server system 140, in one example embodiment, may also host anon-line trading platform 142. The on-line trading platform 142 hosted bythe server system 140, in one example embodiment, provides a place forbuyers and sellers to come together and trade almost anything. In thecontext of one example on-line trading platform, a seller lists anitem—most anything from antiques to cars, books to sporting goods. Theseller chooses to either accept only bids for the item (an auction-typelisting) or to offer the so-called “Buy It Now” option, which allowsbuyers to purchase the item right away at a fixed price.

The tactile information system 144 may be utilized beneficially in thecontext of the on-line trading platform 142. For example, the tactileinformation system 144 may be used to enhance listings of items providedby the on-line trading platform 142 by adding to at least some listingsa tactile dimension. In order to add a tactile dimension to a listing,the tactile information system 144 uses the texture index 152. Forexample, when a listing of an item provided by the on-line tradingplatform 142 includes a description or an attribute that is indicativeof texture, such as, e.g., “denim” or “leather,” the tactile informationsystem 144 may search the texture index 152 based on the attribute thatis indicative of texture, and, if an entry that corresponds to thatattribute or description is found in the texture index 152, the tactileinformation system 144 includes texture data from the determined entryinto the listing. The resulting version of the listing may be presentedon the tactile-enabled device 120 in a manner that provides a user withtactile experience. In some embodiments, the tactile-enabled device 120is a mobile device. A non-mobile computer system may also betactile-enables, so that it can be used to present tactile-enabledcontent in a manner that provides a user with tactile experience.Another example of the use of the tactile information system 144together with on-line trading platform 142 is when a user enters searchterms related to texture and a search engine utilizes the texture index152 to generate search results of listings that have the texturefeatures matching the search terms entered by the user.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is a database 150 that may be used to store thetexture index 152. The database 150 may also store listings 154, e.g.,where the texture index 152 and the tactile information system 144 areused with the online trading platform 142. Example modules that may beincluded in tactile information system 144 are illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example system 200 for generating andcontent that has a tactile dimension, in accordance with one exampleembodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the system 200 includes a texture indexgenerator 202 and a tactile-enabled content generator 204. The textureindex generator 202 may be configured to generate a texture index (suchas, e.g., the texture index 152 of FIG. 1). The texture index 152comprises entries indicative of respective tactile information. Thetactile-enabled content generator 204 may be configured to access acontent item (e.g., a listing provided by the online trading platform142 of FIG. 1) and to associate the content item with an entry from thetexture index 152 to produce a tactile-enabled content item. Forexample, the tactile-enabled content generator 204 may be configured toaccess a content item that includes a representation of an object,determine that the object has a texture characteristic, determine anentry from the texture index 152, based on the texture characteristic ofthe object in order to generate a tactile-enabled version of the contentitem.

The system 200 may also include a tactile search module 206. The tactilesearch module 206 may be configured receive a search request directed tothe online trading platform 142 and determine that the search requestcomprises a search term describing texture. The tactile search module206 may then utilize the texture index 152 to generate one or moresearch results based on the search term describing texture. The one ormore search results include one or more listings provided by the onlinetrading platform 142.

The system 200 may also include a communications module 208. Thecommunications module 208 may be configured to receive a request fromthe user directed to an on-line trading system (e.g., the on-linetrading system 142 shown in FIG. 1), such as, e.g., a request to showlistings of sale items that include certain tactile characteristics,such as, e.g., “leather,” “denim,” etc. The communications module 208may also be configured to communicate tactile-enabled content items tothe tactile-enabled device 120 of FIG. 2. Example operations performedby the system 200 can be described with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method 300 for generating content that has atactile dimension, in accordance with an example embodiment. The method300 may be performed by processing logic that may comprise hardware(e.g., dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software(such as run on a general purpose computer system or a dedicatedmachine), or a combination of both. In one example embodiment, theprocessing logic resides at the server system 140 of FIG. 1 and,specifically, at the system 200 shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the method 300 commences at operation 310, where thetexture index generator 202 of FIG. 2 generates a texture index, thetexture index comprising entries indicative of respective tactileinformation. At operation 320, the tactile-enabled content generator 204of FIG. 2 accesses a content item that comprises a representation of anobject and determines, at operation 330, that the object represented inthe content item has a texture characteristic. At operation 340, thetactile-enabled content generator 204 determines an entry from thetexture index 152 of FIG. 1 based on the texture characteristic of theobject represented in the content item. At operation 350, thetactile-enabled content generator 204 associates the content item withan entry from the texture index to produce a tactile-enabled contentitem. As explained above, the tactile-enabled content item is suitablefor being accessed via a tactile-enabled device, such as thetactile-enabled device 120 of FIG. 1. At operation 360, thecommunications module 208 of FIG. 2 communicates the tactile-enabledcontent item to the tactile-enabled device 120 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the exampleform of a computer system 400 within which a set of instructions, forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, may be executed. In alternative embodiments, themachine operates as a stand-alone device or may be connected (e.g.,networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine mayoperate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in aserver-client network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine may be apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a PersonalDigital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, anetwork router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing aset of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to betaken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine isillustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include anycollection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (ormultiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of themethodologies discussed herein.

The example computer system 400 includes a processor 402 (e.g., acentral processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) orboth), a main memory 404 and a static memory 406, which communicate witheach other via a bus 404. The computer system 400 may further include avideo display unit 410 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) or acathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system 400 also includes analpha-numeric input device 412 (e.g., a keyboard), a user interface (UI)navigation device 414 (e.g., a cursor control device), a disk drive unit416, a signal generation device 418 (e.g., a speaker) and a networkinterface device 420.

The disk drive unit 416 includes a machine-readable medium 422 on whichis stored one or more sets of instructions and data structures (e.g.,software 424) embodying or utilized by any one or more of themethodologies or functions described herein. The software 424 may alsoreside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 404and/or within the processor 402 during execution thereof by the computersystem 400, with the main memory 404 and the processor 402 alsoconstituting machine-readable media.

The software 424 may further be transmitted or received over a network426 via the network interface device 420 utilizing any one of a numberof well-known transfer protocols (e.g., Hyper Text Transfer Protocol(HTTP)).

While the machine-readable medium 422 is shown in an example embodimentto be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should betaken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralizedor distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) thatstore the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable ofstoring and encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machineand that cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethodologies of embodiments of the present invention, or that iscapable of storing and encoding data structures utilized by orassociated with such a set of instructions. The term “machine-readablemedium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to,solid-state memories, optical and magnetic media. Such media may alsoinclude, without limitation, hard disks, floppy disks, flash memorycards, digital video disks, random access memory (RAMs), read onlymemory (ROMs), and the like.

The embodiments described herein may be implemented in an operatingenvironment comprising software installed on a computer, in hardware, orin a combination of software and hardware. Such embodiments of theinventive subject matter may be referred to herein, individually orcollectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and withoutintending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to anysingle invention or inventive concept if more than one is, in fact,disclosed.

Modules, Components and Logic

Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or a numberof components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules may constitute eithersoftware modules (e.g., code embodied (1) on a non-transitorymachine-readable medium or (2) in a transmission signal) orhardware-implemented modules. A hardware-implemented module is tangibleunit capable of performing certain operations and may be configured orarranged in a certain manner. In example embodiments, one or morecomputer systems (e.g., a standalone, client or server computer system)or one or more processors may be configured by software (e.g., anapplication or application portion) as a hardware-implemented modulethat operates to perform certain operations as described herein.

In various embodiments, a hardware-implemented module may be implementedmechanically or electronically. For example, a hardware-implementedmodule may comprise dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanentlyconfigured (e.g., as a special-purpose processor, such as a fieldprogrammable gate array (FPGA) or an application-specific integratedcircuit (ASIC)) to perform certain operations. A hardware-implementedmodule may also comprise programmable logic or circuitry (e.g., asencompassed within a general-purpose processor or other programmableprocessor) that is temporarily configured by software to perform certainoperations. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement ahardware-implemented module mechanically, in dedicated and permanentlyconfigured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g.,configured by software) may be driven by cost and time considerations.

Accordingly, the term “hardware-implemented module” should be understoodto encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physicallyconstructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired) or temporarily ortransitorily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certainmanner and/or to perform certain operations described herein.Considering embodiments in which hardware-implemented modules aretemporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of thehardware-implemented modules need not be configured or instantiated atany one instance in time. For example, where the hardware-implementedmodules comprise a general-purpose processor configured using software,the general-purpose processor may be configured as respective differenthardware-implemented modules at different times. Software mayaccordingly configure a processor, for example, to constitute aparticular hardware-implemented module at one instance of time and toconstitute a different hardware-implemented module at a differentinstance of time.

Hardware-implemented modules can provide information to, and receiveinformation from, other hardware-implemented modules. Accordingly, thedescribed hardware-implemented modules may be regarded as beingcommunicatively coupled. Where multiple of such hardware-implementedmodules exist contemporaneously, communications may be achieved throughsignal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) thatconnect the hardware-implemented modules. In embodiments in whichmultiple hardware-implemented modules are configured or instantiated atdifferent times, communications between such hardware-implementedmodules may be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrievalof information in memory structures to which the multiplehardware-implemented modules have access. For example, onehardware-implemented module may perform an operation, and store theoutput of that operation in a memory device to which it iscommunicatively coupled. A further hardware-implemented module may then,at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process thestored output. Hardware-implemented modules may also initiatecommunications with input or output devices, and can operate on aresource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various operations of example methods described herein may beperformed, at least partially, by one or more processors that aretemporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured toperform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanentlyconfigured, such processors may constitute processor-implemented modulesthat operate to perform one or more operations or functions. The modulesreferred to herein may, in some example embodiments, compriseprocessor-implemented modules.

Similarly, the methods described herein may be at least partiallyprocessor-implemented. For example, at least some of the operations of amethod may be performed by one or processors or processor-implementedmodules. The performance of certain of the operations may be distributedamong the one or more processors, not only residing within a singlemachine, but deployed across a number of machines. In some exampleembodiments, the processor or processors may be located in a singlelocation (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment or as aserver farm), while in other embodiments the processors may bedistributed across a number of locations.

The one or more processors may also operate to support performance ofthe relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a“software as a service” (SaaS). For example, at least some of theoperations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples ofmachines including processors), these operations being accessible via anetwork (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriate interfaces(e.g., Application Program Interfaces (APIs).)

Thus, method and system for generating and using a texture index hasbeen described. Although embodiments have been described with referenceto specific example embodiments, it will be evident that variousmodifications and changes may be made to these embodiments withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the inventive subjectmatter. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regardedin an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method comprising:obtaining listing information for an item; processing the listinginformation to determine a texture of the item; generating an enhancedlisting for the item that includes a texture attribute enabling atactile function to provide a sensation of the texture of the item; andlisting the enhanced listing for the item on an online platform.
 2. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the listing informationincludes an image of the item, and wherein the processing comprisesprocessing the image of the item using image recognition techniques toextract the texture of the item.
 3. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 1, wherein the listing information includes a description of theitem, and wherein the processing comprises processing the description ofthe item to determine the texture of the item.
 4. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sensation of thetexture of the item corresponds to a material, roughness, or smoothnessof the item listed for sale by the online platform.
 5. Thecomputer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tactile function isconfigured to provide the sensation of the texture of the item usingvibratory feedback.
 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,wherein the tactile function is configured to provide the sensation ofthe texture of the item via a transparent and dynamic tactile surface.7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tactilefunction is configured to provide the sensation of the texture of theitem via a tactile-enabled device.
 8. The computer-implemented method ofclaim 1, wherein the listing further comprises listing the enhancedlisting along with an image and a description for the item on the onlineplatform.
 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein userinteraction with the enhanced listing causes a tactile-enabled device toapply the tactile function to provide the sensation of texture.
 10. Asystem comprising: at least a memory and a processor to performoperations comprising: obtaining listing information for an item;processing the listing information to determine a texture of the item;generating an enhanced listing for the item that includes a textureattribute enabling a tactile function to provide a sensation of thetexture of the item; and listing the enhanced listing for the item on anonline platform.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the listinginformation includes an image of the item, and wherein the processingcomprises processing the image of the item using image recognitiontechniques to extract the texture of the item.
 12. The system of claim10, wherein the listing information includes a description of the item,and wherein the processing comprises processing the description of theitem to determine the texture of the item.
 13. The system of claim 10,wherein the sensation of the texture of the item corresponds to amaterial, roughness, or smoothness of the item listed for sale by theonline platform.
 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the tactilefunction is configured to provide the sensation of the texture of theitem using vibratory feedback.
 15. The system of claim 10, wherein thetactile function is configured to provide the sensation of the textureof the item via a transparent and dynamic tactile surface.
 16. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the tactile function is configured toprovide the sensation of the texture of the item via a tactile-enableddevice.
 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the listing furthercomprises listing the enhanced listing along with an image and adescription for the item on the online platform.
 18. The system of claim10, wherein user interaction with the enhanced listing causes atactile-enabled device to apply the tactile function to provide thesensation of texture.
 19. A computer-readable storage device comprisinginstructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by one or moreprocessors, perform operations comprising: obtaining listing informationfor an item; processing the listing information to determine a textureof the item; generating an enhanced listing for the item that includes atexture attribute enabling a tactile function to provide a sensation ofthe texture of the item; and listing the enhanced listing for the itemon an online platform.
 20. The computer-readable storage device of claim19, wherein the listing information includes an image of the item, andwherein the processing comprises processing the image of the item usingimage recognition techniques to extract the texture of the item.